ATM scamming

[Botch]

I'd read about this scam before, but when I noticed (according to the article) that ONE IN FIVE Americans have already had this happen to them, thought I'd post the link as a FYI.

watch-out-for-atm-skimming: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

I imagine it's going on in other countries, too. Geez, if crooks are smart enough to pull something like this off, why don't they get a real job?

 

[af_tourer]

Will definitely watch out for something like this. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[mponder]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[FrankieOC82]

Thanks for getting this out there. I had this happen to me last year!! Luckily, by some divine intervention, I checked my online activity that same night it started. I called the bank and as I was ON THE PHONE, they saw some charges in restaurants and liquor stores (shocking, eh?) pop up.......in LA....... and I was calling from Virginia!!!

Long story short, checking my bank activity online saved me a LOT of $$ scammed. I'm sure they would've cleaned me out in a day.

BE CAREFUL out here, everyone!

 

[Motogiro]

Good info! I've been at a gas station and it wouldn't read my card. I tell the attendant inside and they say give me your card and I say no. If your pumps can't read my card I'll get gas elsewhere.

 

[Kazza]

We had these scams in Oz too.

My bank wins lots of awards for their security.

They even held up a payment for Mikes Beowulf pipe because the transaction didn't look right to them. Called me up, confirmed trans and his pipe arrived


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MHS]

My bank called me up the first couple times I had out of area charges, but since I travel so often I think they consider it the norm.

I pretty much bought all of my bike mods to date in one month, most of which were on the credit card. They didn't consider such random and expensive purchases unusual.

I'm not terribly worried about what they consider unusual though - I check my credit card statement online about once a week so would notice anything I didn't do long before bill time. Of course, doesn't beat not having such transactions go through at all, but it's close behind.

 

[Dan]

I'm very surprised that "skimming" is the news for you. We received the similar problems many years ago. Many ATM manufacturers have already prepared the special antiskimming devices for a card reader. This device will help to prevent using a skimming device.

Also, to prevent some bad actions I suggest you to do the following. First of all, it would be great to issue an EMV card instead a stripe card. It is almost impossible to duplicate an EMV card. Also, you have to cover a pin pad by your left hand when you enetering your pin code. Bad guys use special cameras to see your pin and covering pin pad will help you to defend you pin code.

 

[LERecords]

it helps to use your banks (or other banks) atm machines and not the ones you find in convience stores...

 

[Smersh]

I had to replace my Amex once, my Chase Marriot Credit card twice and my Chase ATM card once - all in 2009. I gotta give credit to Chase and Amex - they were really good with disputed charges and replacements.

Some time ago, there was a series blog entries/articles by Brian Krebs on ATM skimming. Here is the link to the first one, and it contains a bunch of links to follow-up blog entries with some pictures and more in-depth info, in case if you are interested.

 

[novaks47]

Great info. I already knew about this, but I did not know there were so many ways that the crooks did this! I only use my bank's ATM machines, and that's it. The only reason I somewhat trust those, is because the bank has cameras aimed to view anyone who uses them, so they could see if someone tried to attach something, and take care of it before it becomes and issue, or at least minimize any damages.

+1 on Chase being great. They noticed a charge for airline tickets to some odd place(can't remember), for $530, locked the online account access, and locked the card so that it couldn't be used. They then called me, and got it all resolved very quickly. They cancelled the card, and sent me a new one.